last week at the MTC!

I am officially leaving the MTC on Monday, July 29th at 5:30 AM to go to NEW YORK ROCHESTER MISSION!!! This morning I went with Elder C to pick up a package and we went to check mail. Our District Leader has to pick up mail, and he had already checked this morning, with no luck. At 9:00 or so we decided to check it again, and a big stack of papers was sitting there, waiting to be opened. We ran back to gather our district and after 20-30 minutes of hunting everyone down, we ran back to the mail room and everyone ripped open their reassignments, disregarding our original plan of all going in a circle and announcing where we are going haha. Brazil is really delaying all our visas, which means that if you don't have it by the time you are supposed to leave the MTC, you receive another location to serve until you get your visa. I was assigned to New York.Everyone is super excited about it, and I know that when everyone gets to their new missions they will understand why they're where they are even more. I'm going to New York with 5 other missionaries from another district, who are going to Ribeirao Preto also. I am beginning to see different reasons why my permanent mission got changed, although I know I'm not going to understand everything just yet!


In New York I'll still have about an hour each morning as language study, so hopefully I keep up on my Portuguese!


This week we also had an 8-hour conference/orientation about actually being in the field. It really hit me that I'm going to be in the field (actually teaching people outside the MTC is called "the field") in less than a week. It may be intimidating at first, but I know that it's what I'm supposed to be doing right now, and 1 Nefi 3:7 diz: the Lord will not give His children commandments without providing a way for them to accomplish His commandments.


Also before I forget, there was another group of missionaries whose visas did not come in time, and they were assigned to the WICHITA KANSAS mission haha I tried to pump them up for it so if you see any sisters going to Brazil, ask them if they were in the 54th Branch at the MTC!


My next email will be all about Rochester, New York, and I can't wait to send it!


Love,


Elder Jake Hirschi